State lawmakers passed these bills this legislative session

The Connecticut General Assembly adjourned late Wednesday night, after dozens of bills passed the state Senate and House of Representatives and advanced to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk for final approval.

Here are some of the key measures that passed this session.

A $51 billion state budget, including tax cuts

After months of negotiation, the legislature passed a two-year $51 billion budget with strong bipartisan support, sending it to Lamont for final approval. The budget includes an estimated $460.3 million in tax cuts for poor and middle-class residents, including cuts to several income tax brackets and an expansion of the state’s earned income tax credit. For some middle-income households, the cuts could mean savings of up to $594 annually.

The spending plan also includes an additional $150 million in public school funding, more than $800 million to promote affordable housing and funding for higher education beyond what was in initial proposals.

New restrictions on guns

Following extensive debate, the legislature passed a package of gun reforms, including a nearban on the open carry of pistols in public, a near-ban on unregistered “ghost guns,” a limit on how many firearms a person may purchase in the same month and a measure making it more difficult for suspected repeat firearms offenders to be released on bail.

Early voting

Connecticut will become the 47th state to allow early voting, under a bill passed through both houses of the legislature and signed Wednesday by Gov. Ned Lamont.

Under the legislation, early voting will last 14 days during general elections, seven days during most primaries and four days during special elections and presidential primaries.

Housing reforms

A weekslong back-and-forth over housing reform ended Wednesday with the passage of a limited bill to create new tenant protections and promote workforce housing but that will not require towns to zone for a certain amount of affordable housing.

Housing advocates initially supported a more aggressive “fair share” proposal that they say would have significantly improved housing affordability statewide. That measure was repeatedly weakened, however, until ultimately amounting to little more than a study.

Red-light and speed cameras

Lawmakers voted to address a rise in traffic deaths by permitting towns and cities to use redlight cameras and speed cameras to monitor drivers.

The bill drew opposition from both conservatives, progressives and civil rights groups, who questioned the technology and warned that the new law could disproportionately target minority drivers but ultimately passed both houses with bipartisan support and now awaits Lamont’s signature.

Utility price reforms

Both houses approved a measure that prevents utilities such as Eversource and United Illuminating from passing on administrative costs (such as marketing and applying for rate increases) to customers, create new metrics for evaluating the companies and establish a fund for residents to fight rate increases.

Proponents say the bill, which now heads to Lamont for approval, will lower utility costs for Connecticut rate-payers.

Anti-bear measures

Amid a rise in bear sightings statewide, lawmakers passed a measure that would permit residents to shoot bears in self-defense and allow farmers permits to shoot them if they are damaging crops or livestock.

Ban on child marriages

Legislators voted to raise Connecticut’s legal age of marriage from 16 to 18, ending the practice of child marriage in the state. The vote was divided in the House of Representatives but unanimous in the Senate.

The Department of Public Health has recorded 30 marriages since 2017 in which one or both spouses were minors.

Trash disposal plan

While the future of waste management in Connecticut remains uncertain, lawmakers did settle on a way to pay for the huge cost of constructing whatever kind of facility ultimately handles the 860,000 tons of trash currently being shipped to out-of-state landfills.

A measure unveiled on Monday authorized the quasi-public Connecticut Green Bank to issue up to $500 million in bonds to pay for a new waste management facility in the state.

More money for publicly financed campaigns

Tucked within a massive state bonding measure that passed both chambers late Wednesday evening, lawmakers successfully doubled the amount of public financing that will be available to future gubernatorial candidates in Connecticut.

Beginning with the 2026 governor’s race, candidates who qualify for the taxpayer-funded public financing will be eligible to receive a total of $18.6 million in grants, up from the $9.3 million that was available to candidates last year.

Other notable bills

Other significant measures that passed through the legislature include:

Deter wrong-way driving

• A bill meant to through detection and notification systems.

Environmental justice

• A bill enhancing the state’s environmental justice statutes and giving the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection additional authority to regulate pollution in over-burdened areas.

Granting parole eligibility

• A bill to people incarcerated for crimes committed before age 21 whose offenses came before Oct. 5, 2005 and who have served 10 years in prison.

Allowing those on Medicaid and Husky B health insurance plans

• A bill to receive coverage for prescription weight-loss drugs and nutrition counseling, as well as surgery to fight obesity.

Ban on the harvesting of horseshoe crabs

• A bill banning the harvesting of horseshoe crabs

Increasing the maximum fine for littering

• A bill increasing the maximum fine for littering .

Absolving colonial residents

• A symbolic resolution of the state who had been executed over allegations of witchcraft and “familiarities with the devil.”

Limit the use of deceptive or coercive tactics

• A bill that would during police interrogations.

Staff writer John Moritz contributed to this report.